July 28, 2026
The college launched a bachelor’s degree program that teaches students how to become influencers
Becoming a content creator isn’t just a side hustle —it’s a business. That’s why Arizona State University is preparing its students to tap into the billion-dollar creator economy.
This fall, the university’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication will launch a Bachelor of Arts in Content Creation, a program designed to prepare students for careers in the rapidly growing creator economy, which is projected to reach $480 billion by 2027, according to Goldman Sachs.
While some folks may frown on the idea of getting a degree to become an influencer, ASU says the curriculum is about much more than chasing viral moments. The program teaches students how to build sustainable brands through video and podcast production, audience analytics, digital storytelling and monetization strategies. Instead of simply learning how to rack up likes, students will graduate with measurable audience growth and a real digital portfolio after spending a semester building a following on the platform of their choice.
“I don’t know any content creator who wouldn’t benefit from having world-class faculty whose sole mission is to help you and support your growth as a creator,” Jessica Pucci, senior associate dean at the Cronkite School, told Arizona’s Family news station.
Students will also learn how to evaluate content performance across platforms and develop data-driven strategies to grow their brands—skills that increasingly overlap with marketing, advertising, and entrepreneurship. Anna Elizabeth, a part-time content creator and full-time medical assistant, said the degree could have shortened the learning curve.
“There’s editing, there’s marketing strategies of it. There’s like, ‘How do I get PR? How do I get brands to notice me?’” she told AZ Family. “It’s a little bit difficult to understand that portion if you haven’t done it for a long time.”
Black creators have long shaped internet culture, yet many still struggle to capture the wealth generated from their influence. A program that teaches intellectual property, brand partnerships, analytics, and monetization could help close that gap by turning cultural capital into generational wealth. As the creator economy continues to grow, the biggest flex may not be going viral—it’s knowing how to build a business that has staying power.
